Introducing the Shelterwood Parent Portal

Everything we do at Shelterwood is focused on restoring families. Placing a teen in a therapeutic boarding school is one of the most difficult decisions a parent can make, but it’s a decision that is courageous and loving — and one way we support families is by keeping them engaged and informed every step of the way. One tool we use to keep parents connected to their teen’s progress is our Shelterwood Parent Portal.

The Parent Portal helps families stay connected to their teen’s progress at Shelterwood.

This online resource is the hub for family communication, with features designed to move the entire family forward in the treatment process and prepare for a successful transition back home. “Parent Portal is an online tool that helps us interact with parents better than ever,” explains Stephen Hobson, Shelterwood Director of Accounting. “This is a tool that helps us not only engage with parents while their child is in the Shelterwood program, but also empower parents for when their child returns home.”

The Parent Portal was designed specifically for therapeutic boarding schools. The program was spearheaded by Tim R. Thayne, PhD., author of the how to boost teen’s success in and after treatment book, Not By Chance. “The portal has built-in assignments for parents based on this book, so parents are equipped for their son or daughter’s transition back home,” Stephen explains.

The user-friendly portal has a wide variety of features, including:

A team blog, where parents and therapists can communicate and share announcements

A parent resource library, with educational and encouraging parent assignments

A message hub, so parents and therapists can communicate seamlessly

A photo album, where family can see what their teen is up to each day

A calendar, including upcoming Shelterwood events

Academic and therapeutic reports, so parents are always aware of their teen’s progress

The Parent Portal offers pathways for engagement for more than just parents — it is a resource for everyone on the “home team.” This includes anyone who might be involved in the treatment process: other family members, therapists at home, pastors, educational consultants, doctors, case managers, coaches and more. This offers a way to stay updated and informed, bolstering the family support system for when a teen returns home.

Best of all, the parent portal keeps the family at the center of treatment. Stephen sums up the benefits of this powerful tool this way, “This parent portal keeps parents connected to what’s going on with their child, and encouraged as their teen makes progress at Shelterwood.”